My Island life: Maui, Hawaii 

After taking a long break since my last adventure in 2024, I decided to start a long Hawaii journey – 12 days epic adventure – exploring and immersing in the island of Maui and Kauai deeply. It was my second time at Maui since the pandemic. I returned to experience a better adventure! I met those beautiful memories and got a true taste of island life when I was at Paia town on the northern side of Maui again: sea turtles rested on the beach, the sound of ocean waves whispered into my ears, my toes sunk into warm sand, professional windsurfers challenged the sea, VW vans dotted the island, and I stayed with a ceiling fan, outdoor shower, and the mating call of frogs. 

Those precious sensory moments will always nourish me from the Inside out. 

Energetic and Refresh

A new stunning sunrise above the clouds at Haleakala Summit sent a big aloha to me, feeling a real “house of the sun” in Maui, also with a full moon. I hiked into the Haleakala crater via Keonehe‘ehe‘e (Sliding Sands) trail with a strong sun on head, windy and rugged terrain to discover close-up Hawaiian volcano. I was on the moon again. While driving my car and also when standing by the road, I was in awe of blankets of white marshmallow clouds and the blue sea below my feet. 

My energy took me to discover the wonders of Kīpahulu District at Haleakala (access via Hana Highway), with cascading waterfalls, diverse bamboo forest, verdant gulches and natural freshwater streams. I looked up in the bamboo forest (at Papiwai Trail): the stalks are massive, thick in circumference and tower high above me, my time trapped in completely. I just wanted to feel the fresh air and listen to the natural echo of wind blowing through bamboo, refreshing my soul even I was soaked with sweat on the tropical island. 

Excitement and Challenge 

My first wave at sea presented me with everything I feared about surfing the wave. I paddle out to the ocean, my weight is centered on the surfboard, my legs keep straight directly on top of the board, performing long stokes, dragging water backward. The whole session challenged my arm muscles, the endurance to move the board, keeping my head up, looking forward, the strong sun reflected on my face – and my board moved forward steadily. I followed the instructor Brian, learning to wait until a proper wave approaches. The wave was coming! Brian shouted with passion “Go Stephy”! I immediately paddled, feeling the wave lifting me, due to a lack of confidence, I feared kicking my legs to propel myself forward, fell in the water and tasted salt, The board hurt my knee, too.

Falling in the water did not scare me at all. I regained my courage and paddled out again, waiting and catching the next wave. I had a wonderful conversation with Brian, he told me, “We must be patient to wait for the wave. When the wave approaches, paddle quickly, pop up smoothly and be confident, remember, surfing is a style”. In ten minutes, the wave approached me again, I paddled towards the wave immediately, pop up!  Yes! I stood up and kept my balance on the board, the wave pushes me forward, smoothly and exciting, my eyes looked ahead on the horizon, enjoyed the whole ride, at that moment I am part of an infinite energy, a wave in an infinite ocean!  

I repeated the surfing process, even those times I ride for just a few seconds, then lose momentum and fell behind the wave, I treated it as a great chance to learn. One of most important lessons I learned from surfing is “Always look forward. When you are surfing, please forget about the board, and never look back at the wave”. 

The ocean’s rhythm echoes a deeper connection, where each wave and each breath becomes a reminder to embrace the present moment. As a surfer, I live it with a sense of excitement, struggle, freedom and renewal. 

Frustration and Adventurousness 

I never thought I would experience the feeling of frustration and adventurousness at the same time on an adventure, till I do. 

It has been said that Hawaii’s coastal Road to Hana (the 64-mile route on Maui connecting the towns of Kahului and Hana) is about the journey, not the destination. I was curious to discover what in store awaits along the Hana Highway: dense rainforests, waterfalls, lava tubes, colorful tropical flowers, black sand beach, red sand beach, and the tastiest homemade banana. I embarked on this dramatic and scenic drive in the early morning (at 5:45 AM local Hawaii time), on the winding road myself accompanied by drizzle and fresh perspective, then the road transits to one lane wide bridge and hairpin curve. I passed the small waterfalls and lush forest, suddenly my car was awash with pouring rain, the speed reduced to 15 mph (average speed is 20 mph) to avoid the potential dangerous, unclear road condition ahead. I was experiencing narrow and curvy turns on a long journey. I did not where it would end. 

I did a mini detour to Ke’anae Peninsula to listen to the sound of Earth – waves crash dramatically against the black volcanic rock, and palm trees sway aggressively against the rain. I soaked in the water to feel true island life. 

I came back to the narrow road with the sun, jumping into different vistas along the way. 

The greatest experience of Road to Hana adventure (round trip) is to take about 10 hours to complete only 64 miles of hairpin curves. I did not count how many curves and one lane bridges I passed exactly, but I was truly frustrated and tired after all these crazy turns, plus cars from the opposite direction appeared at the turns unexpectedly, sometimes in heavy rain and sometimes in bright sun. When you are there, you will know it. 

Maui is home to a multitude of amazing snorkeling locations to explore, full of interesting reef formations and lava fingers boasting remarkable ocean wildlife. I took a boat tour to snorkel and see the most striking marine species and beautiful coral reefs at Molokini Crater.

Unexpectedly, I got motion sickness onboard, the first time this happened in my entire life, and the sickness affected my underwater life that day. After breathing fresh air I decided to explore marine beauties, hey! The Hawaiian green sea turtle was swimming there, triggerfishes were surrounding me. Under discomfort, I did not push myself too much in the water at Turtle Town. It is a lesson I learned: please respect your body’s limits when you are on adventure, even if you feel disappointed. 

I was told that Honolua Bay (West Maui) would be an excellent snorkeling spot. My curious and adventurous spirit always call me. The next day, I grabbed the snorkeling essentials: mask & fin rentals, reef-safe sunscreen, a GoPro, a cute swimsuit, and a towel, driving to the Honolua Bay (about 55 minutes’ drive from south Maui) to explore thriving marine life in the early morning. 

I walked on a short trail leading to Honolua and gazed in awe at the lush microclimate feeding the magical canopy of greenery, passing by tall trees draped in moss and vines, saw many roosters, and listened to their “noises”. The Honolua Bay isn’t a typical sandy beach; the perimeter is made up of small rocks and flat pebbles, I sat there to feel fresh air and enjoy the picturesque natural beauty.  

In the calm and crystal-clear water, I could discover and see varieties of fish, including butterflyfish, saddleback wrasses, tri-colored Moorish idols. I was like a kid again, embracing a fantastic and satisfied moment. 

The mind is like water, when it is calm, everything becomes clear. The emotions we are experiencing might separate in the surface, but they are part of us and connected in the deep. 

Relaxation

On my last day at Maui, I stayed at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, unwound in a luxurious relaxation style, and shifted to a design perspective. The property is shaped like the letter “U”, the architecture embodies a seamless harmonious blend of island elegance and ease, blurs the boundary between the inside and the outside, drawing guests’ attention toward the lush gardens and panoramic ocean views. It was a totally different resort experience than before, from open-space design to the breathtaking views, from the front of house staff to the caretaker, from the greeting to goodbye, all creating a spirit of aloha around me, especially appreciate the staff helped to find my two lost hats. I strolled through the whole property to witness many Hawaii-influenced artists’ original artworks and collections: Jun Kaneko’s soothing ceramic Colossal Heads, I took a glimpse to their world inside; Susan McGovney Hansen’s paintings portray the strength, grace and gentleness of the Hawaiians honoring their culture with dignity and respect. 

My favorite part of the resort is to gaze into infinite horizons from the Adult Pool. I could see the unparallelled views of ocean, mountains and sky. I immersed myself in the paradise, listened to the waves kiss the shore and wind whistle through palm trees, soaking in the clear water with nothing to do but appreciate nature and focus on being present. The simple joy of relaxing can do wonders. How wonderful! 

I would like to use “paradise” to describe it, beyond an oceanfront resort, offering a fresh, understated beauty that complements its surrounding. I find deep inspiration in the clarity that comes with calmness. Just like clear water, as a tranquil mind reveals the true beauty of the world, embracing inner peace allows me to explore limitless horizons and experience genuine freedom. Till now, I am still re-experiencing it. I would highly recommend staying at Four Seasons Resort Maui as your next adventure if the budget allows.

Mahalo for a wonderful adventure, Maui! It is an intimate experience of sensory adventure. The more senses we engage, the more strongly we are tied to a moment, an object, a space. The natural world mirrors the intricate tapestry of my inner landscape, reflecting the ebb and flow of my emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Its ever-changing terrain, alternating between light and dark, chaos and calm, full and empty, resonates with the dynamic states of our being, offering a profound glimpse into the deepest corners of our souls.